It was easy to miss the climate reports released just after Thanksgiving. We know many of you are just starting to recover from your latest round of holiday cheer. Here are two good articles to catch you up:

It's obvious we can't wait for governments to respond to the environmental crisis in big, meaningful ways. We have to do it. Each of us must make our daily choices carefully. Every little thing we do, every day counts. Here are two small things with big impact that we can all do to help us first change our thinking and then change our actions around the many year-end clothing and technology sales:

1. Buy clothing that is environmentally responsible and ethical with regard to the people who make the clothing. It's not as hard to do as you think. And it doesn't have to be expensive.

2. You don't have to rush to get the latest, "greatest" smartphone. There are better, smarter options. The entire article will help you better understand the new U.S. report. You'll find the smartphone information about a third of the way down.

Many organizations fighting for ecology and wildlife need our support. Often during the last few days of the calendar year, large donors will match donations from "regular folks" like us. It's a way to double the value of each contribution, and expand the pool of people who might contribute. If you have the means, we encourage you to find an environmental organization addressing your concerns and make a donation. Here are a few links to get you started: